A KING FOR BRAZIL. —♦— &amp;nbsp; In view of the widespread movement in Brazil for the re-establishment of a monarchy, an "Ex- &amp;nbsp; press" correspondent interviewed Senor Campo Burlido, who is now at Lisbon. Senor Burlido is a refugee from Brazil, having headed, with Admiral Mello, the last monarchical conspiracy there. He expresses the conviction that the new movement is of an extensive charac- ter, and embraces all the aristocracy and the financial classes, without exception. &amp;nbsp; These Monarchists, he says, are disgusted with Republican corruption, and are desirous of ob- taining political preponderance in the country. They have great resources, and have the sym- pathies of most of the provinces. &amp;nbsp; One of their objects in trying to bring about a monarchical regime is that Brazil may act as a counterpoise in South America to the pretensions of the United States.

EXCITING SCENE AT A FIRE. &amp;nbsp; —♦— &amp;nbsp; WOMEN RESCUED FROM A ROOF AT BRIGHTON. A number of exciting incidents occurred at a fire which broke out recently at 24 Dorset-gar- dens, Brighton (England). Shortly before 7 a.m. the premises, which were occupied by Miss Le Guay Ellis, a costumier, were found to be a mass of flames, and, despite the efforts of the fire brigade, they were com- pletely burnt out. While the fire was in progress, Miss Ellis ap- peared at a second-storey window. Before assis- tance could reach her she jumped out, and falling on the iron railings in front of the house, sus- tained a wound in her left shoulder. Her dress caught on the railings, and suspended her until she was released by a constable. A few minutes later loud screams were heard, and it was seen that three young women who lodged in the house, Mary Grant and Grace and Edith Caws, had climbed out of the garret in their night attire, and taken refuge on the roof. A long ladder was pro...

RETURN OF THE IRISH MISSION. MR. REDMOND ON THEIR RECEPTION. Messrs. John Redmond. M'Hugh, and O'Don- nell, Ms.P., reached Queenstown on December 17 by the Oceanic, on their return from their mission to America on behalf of the Irish Na- tionalist Party. Mr. Redmond said the reception given to him and his colleagues exceeded in genuine cordiality his most sanguine expectations. The three members were cheered on landing by a large gathering of townspeople, and fireworks were sent up from several residences and from the promenade quay. The party left later in the evening for Cork. At the demonstration of welcome held there, Mr. Redmond said that before another six months were over the United Irish League would be as powerful in America as the American Land League was in the days of Parnell. Although they did not seek financial support there, they went, he said, to invite the co-ope- ration of their own countrymen in America, and to arouse the sympathy of the American people, and they ...

BOTTLE-CLEANING MACHINE. A remarkable Yankee invention for cleaning bottles is another instance, says "Felix' Commer- cial Intelligence," of the national genius for in- venting labor-saving machines. The machine is automatic, and the work performed is practically perfect. Each bottle that is fed to the apparatus receives a 20-minute continuous soaking, travel- ling twice the length of the tank. They are then automatically drained immediately after leaving the solution, and are perfectly dry, free from labels and tinfoil when reaching the point to be released. The release of the bottles is also auto- matic, the bottles being allowed to slide slowly to the conveyor, which carries them to the wash- ing tank. The machines, which will clean from 23,000 to 30,000 bottles a day, require only the labor of a man or boy.

HIGHER SPIRITUALISM. A NEW AMERICAN RELIGION. The "Holy Ghosters" are not the only peculiar &amp;nbsp; folk who have "bobbed up" in America lately &amp;nbsp; (says a recent New York telegram to the "Daily Chronicle"). The members of "The New Church of Higher Spiritualism" are giving them a hard fight for pre-eminence in eccen- tricity. Although probably the youngest pro- fessedly religious community in this country, they are already spreading out their arms in quest of proselytes. The headquarters of the new "faith"' are in Syracuse, a town of importance in the north of New York State, and the high priest of the cult, a Rev. Dr. St. Clair, who, it seems, "dresses in immaculate black broad-cloth, with a spotless white tie, and parts his hair carefully in the middle," describes the cult as non-Chris- tian. "We do not accept the Christian religion at all," he declares, "and we claim to be the true followers of the All Highest Light and Creator, Jehovah. We believe that there is...

THE PHILIPPINES. WIDESPREAD REVIVAL OF THE INSURRECTIONARY SPIRIT. A letter received at Pekin from an American General at Manila, whose position gives his statements the highest authority, says that se- cret service reports from the island of Luzon show a remarkable and widespread revival of the spirit of rebellion. The army expects a general outbreak through- out the island and is taking vigorous measures to suppress it. Manila is a centre of discon- tent. General Chaffee has frequent parades of the garrison through the streets for the purpose of displaying the American strength, fearing an attempt at a general massacre of Americans. Arrangements have been perfected to concen- trate American women and children in public buildings on short notice.

SUFFERING TO BE FINE. The discomfort and severe self-restraint prac- tised in diet by smart society women, who take a pride in their figures, would astonish those people who regard them as living a life of ease and luxury. They rise early, they take a break, fast of certain biscuits and hot water, they dine on meat and vegetables, of which onions form a prominent feature, they deny themselves tea, sugar, and spice, and all things nice, take no drink with their meals, eschew wine, and prac- tice tiresome and fatiguing exercises twice daily. This is the regimen of an acrobat or an ascetic, yet it is cheerfully undertaken by pretty, young and happy women. Soon there will be no need of cooks. &amp;nbsp; —Lady Violet Greville, in "Graphic."

NEW NURSERY RHYMES. BY "JIMMY." &amp;nbsp; A MUDGEE MISTAKE. &amp;nbsp; Said a merry old man of Mudgee, As he climbed up an ironbark tree: &amp;nbsp; "When I get to the top &amp;nbsp; I shall let myself drop, &amp;nbsp; And I'll put up a record, you'll see." &amp;nbsp; As soon as he'd finished his climb, &amp;nbsp; He said to the Referee, "Time!" &amp;nbsp; Then he let himself fall, &amp;nbsp; And—my dears, that is all; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; It's the end of the man and the rhyme. &amp;nbsp;

THE LARGEST MAN IN THE &amp;nbsp; WORLD. Real, live giants are not often seen in ordinary life to-day, the few surviving specimens of the race having retired into the comparative obscurity of travelling shows or fairy books of different colors. Nevertheless, one is to be met with occa- sionally, and Mr. Lewis Wilkins, whose photo- graph appears in the sketch, is by a long way the tallest man the world has seen in two cen- turies, his height being 8ft. 2in. He has recently been appearing on the London &amp;nbsp; THE DISTANCE FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER &amp;nbsp; OF THE GIANT'S OUTSTRETCHED ARMS IS 8ft. &amp;nbsp; 2in., THE SAME AS HIS HEIGHT. &amp;nbsp; variety stage. In spite of his great height, he is broad and strong in proportion. His chest measurement is 66in., round the thigh he measures 34½in., and he turns the scale at 26 stone. The distance between the fingers of his outstretched arms is the same as his height, 8ft. 2in., and this goes to show how per- fec...

A BONDI BACHELOR. A bachelor living at Bondi Observed "It's surprisin' how fond I Could be of a wife. But as true as my life It's the courtin's a trifle beyond I." Tbe High Sheriff of Bristol, Admiral Close, would like to transplant one of the Trafalgar square lions to Gloucestershire as a memorial to the men of tbe county who have died in the war.

THE LAND OF ONCE-ON-A-TIME. &amp;nbsp; Away and away, and far away, &amp;nbsp; In the mystic glow of the sunset clime &amp;nbsp; To-day and since many a yesterday, &amp;nbsp; There lies, so all tiny mortals say, &amp;nbsp; The Land of Once-on-a-Time. &amp;nbsp; From the shadowy spires of Slumber Town &amp;nbsp; Soft bells in a wondrous witchment blend, &amp;nbsp; Till little bare feet and little white gown &amp;nbsp; By Dreamland Avenue wander down &amp;nbsp; To Once-on-a-Time at its end. &amp;nbsp; Dear, delectable old-world home! &amp;nbsp; Gold skies over a land of green; &amp;nbsp; Motley folk through its highways roam, &amp;nbsp; Solemn magician and tricksy gnome, &amp;nbsp; Wonderful King and Queen! &amp;nbsp; Evelyn Glover in the Christmas number of the "Pall Mall Magazine." &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;

&amp;nbsp; DOOLEY AND SHERLOCK HOLMES. &amp;nbsp; "Who's Sherlock Holmes?" He's th' gr-reat- est detictive that iver was in a story book. I've been r-readin' about him, an' if I was a criminal, which I wud be if I had to wurruk f'r a liv- in' an' Sherlock Holmes got afther me, I'd go sthraight to th' sta- tion an' give me silf up. I'd lay th' goods on th' desk an' say: 'Sergeant put me down in th' hard cage. Sherlock Holmes has jus' see a man go by in a cab. with a New- foundland dog, an' he knows I took th' spoons.' Ye see, he ain't th' ordh'nry fly cop like Mulcahy that always runs in th' Schmidt boy f"r ivry crime rayported fr'm stealin' a ham to forgin' a check in th' full knowledge that some day he'll get him f'r th' right thing. "No, sir, he's an injanyous man that can put two an' two together an'-mak eeight is thim. He applies his brain to crime, d'ye mind, an' divvle th' crime, no matther how cunnin' it is, will escape him. We'll suppose, Hinnissy, that I'm Sherlock ...

THE WEEK. What an imposing picture of naval prowess was placed before us by the des- cription of the desperate maritime battle fought out the other day off the Panama coast between the fleet of the Colombian Government and that of the revolutionists. The fury of the fight and its destructive results seemed to present the conflict as one between flotillas manned by Vikings, ani- mated by the famous Berseker rage which converted them into &amp;nbsp; sea heroes. The ships &amp;nbsp; of the revolutionists &amp;nbsp; tried to force their &amp;nbsp; way to a position &amp;nbsp; where they could land &amp;nbsp; troops. The Govern- &amp;nbsp; ment warships, sup- &amp;nbsp; ported by shore bat- &amp;nbsp; teries, opposed the at- &amp;nbsp; tempt. One vessel &amp;nbsp; fiercely attacked another at close quarters, and captured her, the crew having be- forehand deserted the ship. As a re- sult of the terrific cannonade, three vessels were sunk on one ...

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, PARRAMATTA. —♦— A correspondent, under the nom-de-plume of "Edward Royle," writes:— "Your contributor in last week's issue has made a mistake in stating that after Governor Denison's departure Old Government House, Parramatta, was given over to the rats. In point of fact, the place was never untenanted for any considerable time. Mr. Andrew Blake, a wealthy invalid, became the tenant after the departure of Governor Denison, and occupied the house for more than 20 years, dying in or about the year 1876. The monument over his grave is a conspicuous feature of the local R.C. Cemetery. After his death the premises were used as a boarding-house. These historical re- miniscences are naturally the more interesting to old residents when the whole of the details are given." The French have adopted the blockhouse sys- tem in South Madagascar, and are already able to report good results.

AMERICA AND AUSTRIA. REMARKABLE ACTION BY THE AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT. —♦— The "Tageblatt" (Vienna) of December 18 publishes an account of a novel measure adopted by the Austrian Government against the Ameri- can industrial competition. The Minister of Commerce, acting on the ad- vice of the National Council of Labor, intends buying American machinery for manufacturing boots and shoes, and supplying it gratis to Aus- trian manufacturers. This measure is to be adopted as the only means of saving the Austrian boot and shoe trade from utter ruin.

MRS. M'KINLEY'S PENSION. —♦— Mr. G. Courtnay courteously points out an error in the paragraph about the pension to Mrs. M'Kinley which appeared last week. In English money the annual grant which the United States representatives are asked to confer by law on the widow of the murdered President is £1000, and not £250 as stated. M. Diraisin, a French naval officer who was recently cashiered for publishing a novel satir- ising the officers of the navy, fought a duel with another officer, Lieutenant Roubion, and was wounded in the arm.

AGED CYNIC AND PRIZE IDIOT. There had been a somewhat protracted dis- cussion in the smoking-room between the Aged Cynic and the Prize Idiot, and it had now reach- ed the stage of flickering snappishness, which in- dicates the beginning of the end. "After all," said the Prize Idiot, "there is no fool like an old fool." The Aged Cynic surveyed him calmly. "There is no ass like a young ass," he retorted. "A 'tu quoque' is the repartee of the intellec- tually destitute," sighed the Prize Idiot, wearily. "When your case is bad, abuse the other side," quoted the other cheerfully. "Wise men make proverbs, and fools repeat them," said the Prize Idiot in his most hydrau- lically crushing manner. "And who was the wise man who said that?" asked the Aged Cynic innocently; and the Prize Idiot is now making elaborate arrangements for having his seat moved further back.